An IRS notice in the mailbox can wreck an afternoon. Most are routine: a question about one line, or a balance the IRS believes you owe. The envelope tells you almost nothing, so start with the notice number inside.

What does your IRS notice number mean?

Every IRS notice carries a code, usually CP or LTR plus a number, on the first page. The code says why the IRS wrote, and irs.gov publishes a full list of IRS notices so you can look yours up. Three show up most often:

• CP14: the first balance-due letter. The IRS shows unpaid tax on your account and asks for payment within 21 days.
• CP2000: income reported on a W-2 or 1099 does not match your return. A proposed change, not a bill and not an audit, with 30 days to respond.
• CP22A: the IRS processed a change to your return, often one you requested, and the notice shows the new balance.

CP2000 notices cluster in late summer and fall, when spring filings are matched against employer and bank records. You can view many notices online through your IRS individual account, but not all appear there; the paper letter and its deadline govern.

What should you do in the first 30 days?

Most IRS notices give you 30 days, counted from the date printed on the notice, not the day you opened the envelope. A workable timeline:

• Days 1 to 2: read the whole notice and note the notice number, tax year, deadline, and amount.
• Days 3 to 7: compare the IRS figures line by line against that year’s return and your records. A CP2000 names the document it is matching, so you know where to look.
• Days 7 to 21: respond in writing. If the IRS is right, sign the response form and arrange payment. If not, explain why and attach copies, never originals.
• Before the deadline: send it by certified mail or the notice’s upload option, and keep a copy of everything.

If the balance is right but too big to pay at once, ask the IRS about an installment agreement early.

What should you not do when an IRS notice arrives?

Three mistakes turn a routine notice into an expensive one.

Do not ignore it. Interest and late-payment penalties keep building on any real balance, and an unanswered CP2000 can become a statutory notice of deficiency, a far less flexible track.

Do not pay just to make it stop. Matching notices are computer-generated, and the proposed figure can be too high. One common example: a 1099-B reports full sale proceeds and the CP2000 treats it all as gain, ignoring your cost basis.

Do not respond to calls, texts, or emails claiming to be the IRS. The agency opens nearly every case by postal mail, and anyone demanding gift cards or wire transfers by phone is running a scam. Use only the number printed on the notice or listed at irs.gov.

How RRBB’s New Jersey advisors help with IRS notices

With a signed power of attorney, Form 2848, a CPA, an enrolled agent, or an attorney can deal with the IRS on your behalf. Representation is worth considering when a notice involves an audit, a lien or levy, several tax years, or a figure you cannot reconcile.

Our RRBB advisors have answered these letters for 60+ years from offices in Somerset and Union, serving clients across New Jersey, New York and Maryland. The firm’s IRS representation and tax problem resolution services cover IRS audit representation, back taxes owed, IRS payment plans, offers-in-compromise, and IRS liens and levies. As an independent member of PrimeGlobal, RRBB brings the expertise of a large firm while serving clients with personal attention: a second set of eyes before you sign anything.

I got an IRS notice. Should I panic, or can I handle it myself?

No panic required. Most notices involve one issue and one tax year, and many need only a comparison against your return and a written reply by the deadline. Bring in a professional for an audit, a levy, or a number you cannot verify.

How long do I have to respond to an IRS notice?

Most notices allow 30 days from the printed date; a CP14 asks for payment within 21 days. The deadline on your letter is the one that counts.

What is a CP2000 notice?

A CP2000 is a proposed change, not a bill or an audit. Income reported by an employer, bank, or brokerage does not match your return, and you generally have 30 days to agree or dispute.

Who can represent me in an IRS audit in New Jersey?

A CPA, an enrolled agent, or an attorney can represent you before the IRS anywhere in the country under a signed Form 2848. Our RRBB advisors provide IRS audit representation from offices in Somerset and Union, New Jersey.

If a notice is on your desk, its clock is already running. Contact our RRBB advisors at (908) 231-1000 or through rrbb.com/contact to talk through your situation.